RESTAURANT REVIEWS
The following establishments have been carefully reviewed
~ From Your Neighborhood, For Your Neighborhood ~
RESTAURANTS FOR FUTURE REVIEW:
Bella Luna Ristorante | Black Angus | Buffalo Wild Wings | Chef Bens Sushi and Asian Express | Cutting Edge Bar & Grill | Crossroads Lounge | Dino’s Greek & Italian Grill | Einstein Bros. Bagels | Majerle's Sports Grill | Memphis BBQ | Mimi's Café | OASIS Bagels | Olive Garden | PF Changs | Palm Valley Golf Club | Pebble Creek Golf Club | Estrella Golf Club | Roman's Oasis | Starpointe Cafe | Sugar n Spice | WildFlower Bakery | Yans Chinese
We plan to review the list of eateries to the left in the near future. However, if you have a suggestion for a future restaurant review, please contact us.
RECENTLY REVIEWED:
Augie's
15605 W. Roosevelt St., Ste. #100. Goodyear, AZ 85338
A classic Sports Bar, this family friendly restaurant is a short drive from Estrella and well worth the visit. We recently enjoyed a fabulous meal at Augie’s. The establishment is clean, cheery, and friendly.
Kat, our waitress, was polite, attentive, and very knowledgeable of the menu items. The menu has a great selection of items for adults, as well as children. We started with not your typical Stuffed Mushroom caps. These firm portabella mushrooms had a delicious hearty flavor and were stuffed with a zesty Italian sausage mix and topped with marinara sauce and mozzarella. This must-try appetizer had a fabulous flavor and was large enough to share. The French Philly sandwich was a homerun. A generous portion of thinly sliced roast beef, topped with sautéed mushrooms, onions, and peppers with provolone cheese served hot on a French style roll with a side of Au Jus. This one we would definitely order again. Served with a side of waffle fries seasoned with smoked paprika for a mild kick. Another favorite of ours was the Cali Club. This enormous sandwich had thinly sliced smoked turkey, lettuce, tomato, bacon, and guacamole topped with cheddar and Swiss cheese. An abundance of flavor, it was a very filling sandwich served with a side of crispy, beer battered onion rings. If you prefer burgers, then you must try the Boarder Hopper. This juicy half pound burger with bacon, pico, mild banana pepper slices and guacamole, topped with cheddar cheese served on a unique pretzel bun at only $10.95 is a great deal. If you want that ball park feeling, enjoy a special Augie Dog. This all beef frank is grilled and topped with red chili, shredded cheddar and diced onions, served on a poppy seed bun. Don’t forget to leave room for dessert. Chocolate lovers beware. The Chocolate Fix for $6.95 is beyond your wildest dreams. This decadent chocolate brownie served warm topped with vanilla ice-cream and Sander’s hot fudge and strawberry sauce is one you will not want to miss.
Kids eat free on Mondays & Tues. from 4m-10pm, a great opportunity to feed the family and enjoy watching some sports on any one of the many large screen televisions. Be sure not to miss the great lunch specials for $6.95 from 11am-3pm Mon. thru Fri. Our hats off to the Chef, Ross and we wish owner / manager John Boes the best of luck and success.
Black Bear Diner
980 N. Dysart Rd
Although our philosophy is to not conduct restaurant reviews of franchises and focus our reviews on locally owned and operated restaurants, Black Bear Diner is a Goodyear icon and operates more like a hometown diner than a franchise. Goodyear’s Black Bear has been one of our favorite breakfast eateries since we came to Goodyear. They are much more than just a breakfast diner, offering a full menu for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and cubs (kids meals)... Some of our breakfast favorites are the Bigfoot Chicken - fried Steak & Eggs (especially the homemade country gravy, yummy), the Cinnamon Roll French Toast which is dipped in egg batter and grilled golden brown, and the Volcano a stack of 3 pancakes with sausage, bacon and eggs.
Their fresh squeezed OJ is always good with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. The lunch menu has such a vast array of salads, burgers and sandwiches that you just can’t go wrong! Black Bear Diner specializes in old fashioned comfort foods, my favorite dinner item is the meatloaf, just like mom used to make, served with veggies and red-skinned mashed potatoes. If possible, try to leave room for dessert, everything from ice-cream sundaes to pies. And of course homemade bear claws!
Although they are usually busy, and there is often a wait to be seated, the service is always fast and pleasant. One of the best things about this restaurant is their willingness to provide good service. If your meal is not quite right tell them and they WILL fix it, with a smile!
Blue Sky Java
15661 W Roosevelt St, Suite 105, Goodyear
Visit www.BlueSkyJava.com or call us at: 623-925-1081
Blue Sky is not your typical coffee shop. This hidden jewel is off the main road behind Sherwin-Williams Paint on Estrella Parkway and well worth finding.
The owner Dave McIntosh is a retired Army Military Intelligence Master Sergeant living in Arizona with interests in flying, photography, motorcycles, camping, scuba and writing. Dave also teaches graduate programs in computer and telecommunications technology at a local university. After leaving the Army, Dave attained his MBA and Real Estate license, thus establishing Arizona Blue Sky Realty. Dave is also a published author.
Dave always wanted a coffee shop and decided in 2010 to open a small theme based shop beside his real estate office, opening in Feb 2011. Recently, Blue Sky Java changed its image to be Gourmet Coffees and Sweet Treats, introducing a line of cakes, pies, and now ice cream. Their goal is to provide the best cup of coffee, Latte, Cappuccino along with fresh deserts and ice cream.
This small cozy café that can seat about 20 people offers free wifi and has comfy leather couches with a large 50” TV. We tried the Kona blend which was very nice and just the right strength. The Black & White mocha was yummy! Dare I say better than Starbucks? Yes, and the price was surprising inexpensive. In addition, the coffee came with a complementary donut that was fresh and very sweet. The hot chocolate was creamy, chocolatey and smooth with whip cream and drizzle chocolate. Bagels, fresh donuts pastries, and assorted omelets available.
Cowgirls Steakhouse & Saloon
1733 N. Dysart Rd. in Avondale, just north of McDowell Rd.
Visit their website at www.Cowgirls-Steakhouse.com or call 6223.385.8888
Cowgirls has been open for a couple of months now and a Grand Opening could be expected shortly. The owner is strategically waiting to work out any possible kinks in the kitchen and with the service staff to ensure that they have their best ‘two-step’ on before the official grand opening. This is not the first time in the restaurant rodeo for this owner as he has 2 other establishments in the west valley, Native New Yorker in West Gate and Native New Yorker in Goodyear on Estrella Pkwy.
We have been there twice now over the past couple of months, both for a lunch and a dinner. In both visits, the staff was friendly and helpful with menu recommendations. The atmosphere is an obvious southwestern tex environment, which is always fun. In the evening, they have entertainment, often a singer with an acoustic guitar or local band. The music was nice and not overwhelming to impede upon having a discussion with your party.
We started with a couple of appetizers including; Scorpion Bites that are spicy fried Fresno peppers stuffed with crab cream cheese and chipotle-ranch dipping sauce. They were really tasty, not too spicy with a delicate sweetness of pepper. I take that back, I got a seed! HOT…. Delicious though. The Six Shooter Potato Skins, fully loaded, baked and cheesy topped with bacon, green onions and sour cream. This was a generous size portion of potatoes nicely loaded. We also tried the Ranch House Chili with a layer of cheese baked on top, this was a flavorful hearty bowl of chili, although a bit too salty for me taste. The appetizers took a while to be delivered, although well worth the wait.
The Jiddy Pizza was fabulous, a cheesy sauce with sliced steak, mushrooms, onions, mozzarella and green peppers, kind of reminded me of a Philly cheese steak pizza style. The Gunslinger BBQ Cheeseburger was a traditional bacon cheddar burger topped with onion rings in a BBQ sauce, which was nice, although the BBQ sauce again was a bit too salty.
We look forward to returning again and especially enjoying the evening atmosphere with a few drinks and enjoyable entertainment.
East Asian Bistro
3145 North Dysart Rd #102, Avondale, AZ 85392
As per request of our readership, I had been requested to write up a review of East Asian Bistro, and I was glad to do so. Just recently, I had been informed of this Asian style restaurant tucked away in the far back corner of a strip mall on the north east corner of Thomas and Dysart Rd by an anonymous reader. My first impression upon entering the establishment was clean, small restaurant with a small staff of what seemed to be about ten people who were great at their job by being both friendly and effective while working.
Once I had sat down, they brought over the menu, which I looked over for quite a while. The items they had were mostly basic, but it had many items to choose from, some of which looked the same, but were different due to one or two ingredients. Such as the teriyaki beef and the teriyaki chicken, both of which were prepared the same way with the same ingredients, with the only difference being the meat itself.
The food which I sampled started with the famous, yet uncommon chips in duck sauce, which tasted great, with the chips not too dry, and the sauce a perfect level of sweetness. Following that, I tried the dumplings (steamed then lightly fried) and Egg drop soup for an appetizer. The dumplings were good, though a little crispy on the bottom, and the soup was pretty good, but the mushrooms were a bit large for a soup (they made it seem more like a stew).
I then ordered a large variety of appetizers, most of which were good. The barbeque pork had a great flavor, but was also a little bit too fatty for my taste. The ginger lamb, though not one of the most popular dishes, was an amazing dish with a lovely ginger sauce, with slight onion seasoning. Afterward, I decided that I was in the mood for a little teriyaki, but I was unsure of which type to get, so I ordered both to be fair to the establishment, incase one was better then the other. After trying both the chicken and beef, I decided that the beef was largely inferior to the chicken. The sauce itself just seemed to not go together well with the beef, whereas it was fine with the chicken. The final entrée I had was the schezuan beef, which was a unique version of it, with the sauce being more of a sweet spicy then the usual flavor of a more tangy spice that most have come to know and love.
As I left, I received the usual fortune cookie, which upon opening I read this fortune ‘You shall spread happiness through writing’, which is true, for this ended up being a very good place for an Asian meal, and I would recommend this restaurant giving it a three and a half star out of five rating.
Ground Control
14140 W. Indian School Rd., off of Litchfield Rd.
Ground Control, where community happens, is not a sports bar or a wine warehouse, but you can still find a selection of over 450 wine labels and a huge selection of 300 beers from around the world. Yes they are known for their variety of great tasting roasted coffees by Owner and Master Roaster Sean Rassas, which will wake up you and your taste buds any time of day, but Ground Control is much more than that. An extensive menu including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and desserts, a fully stocked bar including beer, wine and top shelf alcohol, bottles of wine that can be purchased by the bottle or case, and don’t forget the entertainment.
I’ve had a variety of beers in my time, but sampled a few high-end imports with owner, Sean Rassas. The Firestone Walker Double Jack 1PA and the St. Bernadaus were outstanding. Sean described the flavors dead on and at $8 a glass, were well worth it. Just don’t ask for a Miller, Budweiser or Coors. As they state, ‘no crap on tap.’ The wine list changes every 2-3 months and they offer Wine Tastings every Tuesday and Saturday night to educate their patrons.
Beer Tasting is every 3rd Thursday of the month; I am going to call now to sign-up. Pick any item on the menu, you really can’t go wrong. Among our particular favorites were the Salmon Crostini with beautiful, hand blended salmon cream cheese, salty capers and sweet red onions. The Angus Burger on a pretzel bun, topped with melted cheese and a pickled relish and the Chipotle Turkey Panini which had a bit of a spicy kick, were both delicious.
The Half Baked Goodness was nothing less than perfect. I am not typically a dessert person and found myself asking for another to take home. This was an oversize, hot out of the oven, gooey chocolate chip cookie, topped with your choice of homemade gelato, we had mint chocolate chip.
This unique restaurant concept offers the combination of a coffee house, wine bar, and friendly family style casual dining experience. There are plans in the works for expansion in the West Valley. We wish Sean and Tara continued success with their establishment.
Hayashi Hibach
1480 N. Litchfield Rd. just south of W. McDowell Rd.
Dinner and entertainment all wrapped into one is what you can expect at Hayashi Hibachi. The secret must already be out, as this establishment was packed on a Friday evening with a 30-minute wait, which wasn’t bad and went quickly with a drink at the bar and great conversation with some dear friends of ours.
We have experienced tepanyaki style meals, where the chef cooks your food to order on a grill set into your table, numerous times in the past and this was one of the best experiences. The table was large enough to share with family and friends, or as in our case we were happily surprised to be seated with neighbors celebrating their little girl’s 11th birthday (Happy Birthday Alex).
Not only was our chef, Poncho, talented, funny and entertaining, but our server, Tanisha, was attentive and friendly. Pancho kept everyone at
the table engaged in conversation and entertained with juggling tricks, an onion volcano, and flying eggs. As a side note, before you go you might want to practice catching food in your mouth... The miso soup was good, served hot and not too salty. The salad was fresh, crispy, and the dressing is one of my favorites, although a little watery, as was the mustard dipping sauce.
We sampled various dishes, including the steak, scallops, chicken, and Sea Bass, all of which were outstanding and cooked to our preference; although the Sea Bass was a bit dry, possibly a side effect of frying. The steak and chicken was flavorful and juicy, the scallops were delicious! All in all it was a great experience with great friends. The only real downside was that the meal was a bit on the pricey side, but we did have an enjoyable evening. We look forward to returning and taking the kids with us next time.
Ivy League Dogs
15605 W. Roosevelt St., Goodyear, AZ 85338
Once again, I am reviewing a lesser known food establishment that I was told of by an anonymous person, so we will now be giving you all the details on the Ivy League Dog. This place looks very much like a combo of a fast food establishment and a sub shop. When you first enter, you will notice a serious lack of space, which is a major down point. As well as that, there is also the fact that the food is a little bit pricy, though that is to be expected because of the decent quality food.
Once I got in and ordered my food, I grabbed a drink, but noticed that there were limited options, even for a small place. McDonalds has more options than this place, with only 8 drink choices. So I sat down, and after about ten minutes I got my sides. I had ordered three different types of fries, and an order of mozzarella sticks. The fries I got were sweet potato, which were a little too crispy, but still ok; plain fries, which were over salted but better than most fast food joints; and the cheese ones, which were good, but the cheese wasn’t very strong. The mozzarella sticks were average, though it was a good idea to add small pieces of mozzarella to the outside which would melt on top of it. However, I disliked the lack of a marinara sauce.
The meal, which consisted of four different foods, began with chicken strips. These were good, but as with the sweet potato fries, they were fried a little too long. The corn dog came out next, which was very similar to a microwave corndog, so not what I will order if I go here again. But the chili cheese dog was good, just a little light on the chili. The plain hot dog with onion and jalapeno was great, just a little too greasy.
Finally we have the desserts. Both are fried food, so do not try them if you have high cholesterol. The Oreo, served with caramel sauce and powdered sugar tasted great, and the Twinkie was a little messy, but went great with the raspberry sauce and once again, powdered sugar.
Over all a great place to go for a classic American meal or a nice fried dessert.
Royal Jasmine Thai Restaurant
14970 W. Indian School Rd. Goodyear, AZ 85395
Sunday-Thursday: 11am-9pm
Friday-Saturday: 11am-10pm
My first visit to the Royal Jasmine will not be my last. As a Englishwoman stateside I have been disappointed in the oriental offerings of the spicy variety. The Indian cuisine has not been up to my high expectations and quite honestly I can cook as good at home. So that is to say where I could go for sushi and not know my Uramaki from my Maki-Zushi, I know a good curry when I gobble one down.
The restaurant is new, and the waitress that took our orders for both drinks and meal was extremely pleasant, hardworking and very eager to please. Not only that, she had a sweet personality which came through as she apologized for not having the Pinot Grigio we ordered. The menu is pretty extensive. Having ordered Thai toast and Chicken Satay we sat pleasantly in our surroundings to get down to our usual gossip and debate. The atmosphere was relaxed but formal enough to feel you are having a dining experience, rather than sitting in a booth at Chilli’s. I personally would love to be taken here on date night (hint). I cant' remember any music or the lack of, so obviously we could hear the conversation between the four of us.
The appetizers and wine were served smoothly and were delectable. Don't you often fine the appetizers are the best part of the meal these days? Both were good portion sizes which we shared between the four of us, plenty for four gals.
Food service was prompt. And seamlessly our main courses were served. All I can say is, heaven in a bowl. Thai Pumpkin Curry with chicken. The dish is served in a bowl and at first appearances it looks like a soup. It come with rice served separately. I put all my rice into the curry as I would do in England. My goodness, so sweet and spicy at the same time. I asked for medium spicy and it was perfect. The chicken cooked moist, not chewy. The green peepers still with a crunch and the pumpkin, solid enough to stab but then it just melted away in my mouth. My other diners also raved about their food. Not one of us was disappointed. For once the food nearly overshadowed the conversation...but not quite. Next month's English girls night out will be back to the Royal Jasmine to try the Shrimp Pineapple Curry. Cant wait.
Smashburger
9915 W. McDowell Rd., Avondale, AZ 85392
This month’s Restaurant Review is not for the light hearted, and those of you on low sodium diets or with high blood pressure, please close your eyes. We were surprised to learn that Smashburger was owned and operated by the same company as Black Bear Diner, which we reviewed last month. Smashburger is located on the corner of 99th and McDowell and their menu can be found online at www.SmashBurger.com/menu_arizona. We figured what’s better than a nice summer day to take all the kids and their friends out for a burger, but wanted to avoid the usual McDonalds/Burger King routine. Not having experienced Smashburger before, this was a treat for everyone.
Smashburger serves a variety of burgers from a classic to a spicy (Arizona smashburger) to those with BBQ, Bacon, Mushrooms or any combination you like. The burgers were very good, flavorful and juicy; although those on a carb-free / gluten-free diet that have the burger on a bed of lettuce rather than a bun will find the burger to be a bit greasy, which takes nothing away from the yummy-ness. But Smashburger isn’t all about the burger, they have Smashdogs, Smashchicken, Smashsalads, and then we come to the interesting Smashsides. There are traditional fries or you can excite your taste buds with the smashfries (tossed with rosemary, olive oil, and garlic) or the sweet potato smashfries. Being that I had never heard of Fried Pickles before, this was a must try item. A fried dill pickle served with ranch dressing, although a bit salty and similar to an onion ring, I found that I could not put these down.
Great customer service, quick order taking, and clean dining room. We strongly recommend SmashBurger as a special treat, but all good things in moderation as we want to consider the health and well-being of our readership.
Perhaps next month we should search for a vegetarian restaurant or a good old fashion soda shop.
Taste of Italy
On Elliott Rd., inside Estrella Mountain Ranch
Estrella Mountain has been waiting for a good pizzeria for some time now. Yes, we have seen others come and go over the past decade and there is currently a franchise pizza shop here as well, but none compare with Taste of Italy. Taste of Italy joined our Estrella community about 6-months ago and is a family owned and operated restaurant with many years of restaurant experience, going all the way back to NY’s Ray’s Original Pizza, the New Yorkers out there will recognize that as a historic landmark. Taste of Italy differentiates themselves from others based on the use of fresh ingredients and many homemade sauces and dishes, in addition to their outstanding pizza. There is a vast menu with a huge selection of options; salads, appetizers, pasta dishes, sandwiches, calzones, and of course pizzas. We started with a Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad that was large enough to be a meal by itself. The grilled chicken was marinated in a secret Italian sauce, grilled, then mixed in a bed of fresh lettuce in a lovely Caesar dressing with plenty of crispy croutons, and topped with fresh grated parmesan cheese. The Meat Lovers Calzone, which was stuffed with meatballs, sausage, ham, pepperoni, mozzarella, ricotta, and homemade marina sauce, was enormous and very cheesy with a crunchy crust. We then shared a dish of Penne Alfredo Pollo that was nice and cheesy, but not over powering. A creamy Alf redo sauce over peas, roasted peppers, red onions, chicken and penne. The peas and onions added a nice sweetness as the fresh peas burst in your mouth. We loved it! I am told there is always room for desert and the Chocolate Chip Cannoli fit the bill perfectly. It was not too sweet and very creamy, just like those you would find on Mott Street in New York’s Little Italy. We had to fight the kids for every last bite! Taste of Italy also serves beer and wine, so a nice place to stop by for appetizers and casual drink with friends. They also offer many Catering options from party subs to large platters of Lasagna, Baked Ziti, and other Italian specialties. Be sure to check out their website for specials at www.tasteofitalys.com. don’t forget the “s”!! We wish them the best of luck and continued success.
Verrado Grill (aka The Raven)
4242 N. Golf Drive, Buckeye, AZ 85396
If you want to find a luxurious, classy place to eat then the Verrado Grill fits the bill. With an extensive, elaborate menu and a relaxing ambience we felt at ease as soon as we were shown to our table. The drinks were brought from the bar and were delicious! Muddled mint for my Mojito and other citrus fruits for the Margaritas - perfectly refreshing for the hot summer evening.
The menu is extensive and ranges from the exotic (Calf’s Liver) to the traditional (Meatloaf). We did not choose to try Calf’s Liver but did opt for the Calamari and Hummus for appetizers. The Calamari were tasty and had enough bite to make them enjoyable. The hummus was smooth and creamy with a nice varied selection of things to dip in it. When our main course arrived we were stunned at the portion size and the huge asparagus! One diner commented that they could almost get up and walk home by themselves. Despite their size they were not tough, as I had feared, and were just as tender as regular asparagus. The meatloaf was wonderfully moist and was served on a mountain of mashed potatoes topped with crispy onion straws. Yum! All I can say is that if I could make this dish we would eat it at least twice a week.
Chicken Marsala is a classic that the Verrado Grille does well. The chicken was tender and the sauce had enough of the usual mushrooms to retain its name, but the addition of sun dried tomatoes and feta was an unusual and welcome addition. Added to it was more of the tasty whipped mashed potatoes. Something fantastic on the Special menu was the Spring Pea Salad. Tender but toothsome fava beans and fresh shelled peas were tossed with toasted almonds, tangy feta and fresh mint all served over a bed of radicchio. It was plated on a warm crispy pita wedge and should be put on their regular menu as it was a big hit with our group.
Next, on to dessert. The Banana Split was delightful, the crunch of creme brulee was surprising and delicious, definitely one to repeat. And what can I say about the chocolate cake? It was great. Enough said. The only downside to our evening was the spotty service. Sometimes the waiters were attentive, the water was consistently refilled for example, but at other times they were no-where to be seen. Despite this minor glitch I would heartily recommend the Verrado Grille for a special night out, definitely worth the drive. All in all, a wonderful restaurant in a spectacular setting. - Four out of five stars.
Vogue Bistro
5411 W Waddell Rd in Surprise (Waddell Rd & Reems Rd.)
Visit www.VogueBistro.com or call 623.544.9109
I am very excited to provide this following review of Vogue Bistro in Surprise. Yes, although this restaurant is a few miles north, it’s well worth the drive. Voted ‘Best New Restaurant’ by Phoenix Magazine and ‘25 Best Restaurants in Arizona’ by Arizona Highways Magazine, we at Estrella Publishing would very much agree with our colleagues, this small bistro has some of the most amazing dishes we have tried recently.
This small but cozy restaurant has a comfortable ambiance, nice decor and friendly, professional, attentive service. This is an ideal place for a casual family lunch, a business meeting or an intimate dinner for two, all of which is reasonably priced. Vogue Bistro offers a Contemporary American bistro cuisine using high quality, locally grown fresh produce and ingredients.
With such a large menu it’s hard to describe each item from Onion Soup to Oysters Rockefeller to Alaskan Salmon, Filet Mignon, Eggplant Parmesan, as well as burgers and sandwiches. Their daily specials range from Scallops to Chilean Sea Bass and Beef Wellington. All dishes are made from scratch and to order and still served in a reasonable time. I enjoyed the Meatloaf in a savory sherry sauce that was just amazing served with potatoes au gratin and asparagus. The children had macaroni and cheese that was made with truffle oil and bits of pancetta. This was no Kraft mac & cheese and was so good that our son asked for a 2nd order to go. I too really enjoyed this, not just for kids…
Our other son tried the Rabbit Civet, which is a rabbit stew with potato, wild mushrooms and seasonal vegetables. Not only could not I believe that our son was venturing to try something out of the ordinary, he was very pleased with his entrée. Everyone at the table raved about their meal, how tasty and flavorful each dish was. It doesn’t stop there, be sure to save room for desert, as these are just the right portion size, not too big, but sweet enough for that after meal treat.
There is also a sophisticated wine list featuring celebrated wines from the world's best regions, "designer" martinis, a bourbon club, and a craft beer selection to please the true beer connoisseur. They offer full service catering for any occasion. From simple to the most refined,
Vogue delivers extraordinary food, artistic presentation, and professional service to your home or business. I am strongly considering this bistro for our next house party, our youngest child even requested to have his next birthday dinner there so we will be returning several times. This is a must try restaurant and we give it our strongest recommendation.
General Restaurant Survey Answers
In lieu of a Restaurant Review, we have decided to share the results of a recent Restaurant Survey that we had conducted with the support and participation of our wonderful readership. We asked a series of questions, such as; How frequently do you typically go out to eat? How far are you willing to travel to dine out at a restaurant? Rank your reasons for selecting a particular restaurant (i.e., location, price, service, quality, cleanliness, etc.)? How much do you usually spend on a typical dinner for two? What is your favorite type of restaurant? What are your 3x favorite restaurants in the SW Valley? With thousands of survey responses and almost 100 different restaurants mentioned, we saw some expected results sprinkled with a couple of surprises.
A majority of respondents (65%) go out to eat weekly. 40% of respondents are willing to travel 11-20 miles and 23% would go 21-30 miles. Food quality was the most important reason in restaurant selection followed by value for money, while food preparation was surprisingly the least important. 43% of respondents noted that they spend from $21 to $40 for a typical dinner for two and 37% spend from $41 to $60. The most popular style of preferred restaurant was Italian closely followed by Steakhouse and then Mexican. Sports Bars and Fast Food were the least popular. The highest rated restaurant was a tie between Bella Luna and Black Angus, followed by a 3-way tie for 2nd with Macaroni Grill, PF Changs, and Red Robin.
We hope you find these results as informative as we have. We thank our readers for participating and congratulations to Farid Zehtab who won 4 FREE tickets to Bunker Indoor Golf for the associated lottery from those respondents.
